Brian Dickson

Dickson_BrianPaper: Use of Project Simulation in a Masters in Engineering Project Management

Abstract: A substantial number of Project Managers control projects based on financial constraints generated from the “estimating/approval stages/construction” process, and as a result are responsible for the cash they request and spend. Alternatively, at the other extreme, they are given the budget and attempt to operate within that constraint.

Experiences of teaching on an in-house programme to a large group of Project Managers, who display a wide range of experience & responsibilities, has shown that the deep understanding of how money flows through projects, the cost of funding capital and the return on investment is very limited.

This paper will present the use of a project Simulation package designed to integrate Project Planning, Project Team effectiveness, Contract Management and Financial management, designed overcome that knowledge deficiencies. The simulation is the introductory class from eight specialist classes in Project Management delivered as a company CPD programme by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK, as part a cross disciplinary programme leading to the award of MSc in Engineering Project Management.

Biography: I am a Senior Teaching Fellow in the department of Chemical Engineering delivering core chemical engineering material at BEng, MEng & MSc level. I also teach a Faculty wide generic engineering skills class in Project Management.

I am also Client Relationship Manager for the Project Management Academy programme (MSc Engineering Project Management), which is a CPD programme worth £800,000 over a four year period, where I teach classes in Project Management Fundamentals, a Group based Project Management Activity and supervise industrially based Project Thesis.

This role has come about based on my extensive expertise in designing and delivering PGT industry based programmes since joining the university in 1997 from industry. As a result of this work, I was awarded a Faculty of Engineering Knowledge Exchange Award in 2013.

I am a specialist teacher in Process Safety and have a series of international conference papers that confirm my standing in this subject area.

Previously I was the Director of the Graduate School of Engineering (Faculty of Engineering), where I was responsible for the management of its Post Graduate Engineering course strategy in particular:

  • The development of new courses and flexible modes of delivery which including signing a major CPD contract worth £300,000 pa.
  • Development of a Faculty Generic Soft Skills teaching programmes
  • Promotion of courses to international markets including briefings to International Officers, Recruitment Agents and recruitment visits.

I joined the university after a career in industry as an engineering manager then as a business manager, and with experience of teaching & designing distance learning programmes in the Open University Business School, where I was a subject expert in Knowledge Management.